Detox Your Cosmetic Bag

By Donna Tarantino

Happy 2014! Like every New Year, it is the time of year we feel the need revive, renew and restore our lives and selves. One area that many of us seem to miss is our beauty products. Did you ever think about detoxing your make up? Let’s face it, many of us (me included) have a vast collection of eye shadows, lipsticks, potions and lotions. We try them, we use them, stuff them in bag and forget about them.

Detoxing your make up is essential and should be part of your regular cleaning routine. Did you know that most beauty products can go bad once they are opened? Chances are that the lotion in that beautiful jar you have been saving won’t hurt you, but it will not do you any good either. Most products do not work properly over time as they lose their potency, some of them look very dated (throw away the punk rock eye shadow), and last, but most importantly, bacteria.

Once you have opened a product, exposed it to air, and stuck your fingers in a jar of cream, you have exposed it to bacteria. The last thing you want is a trip to the dermatologist for a skin rash or infection and find out that your products may have been the culprit!

How do you know if your product is headed for the recycling bin? There are general rules that most beauty insiders follow. First, trust your nose and eyes. If your product stinks, changes colors, has separated or just does not go on smoothly like it once did, throw it away. Many beauty products do have expiration symbols on them, but not necessarily a real expiration date. If you could remember when you purchased and/or opened the product, that would be fantastic, but chances are you were preoccupied with other things when you first opened that jar. My advice is to write down the date on the container when you first opened the product. Then you can be reminded of when to throw it away.

Any products used around the eye area should be discarded in 3-4 months. This includes creams, mascaras, liners, and concealers. Eyes are sensitive and you do not want to meddle with this. In three months, you will see a change in texture and wearability in an eye product. Don’t chance it. Recycle and replenish.

My rule of thumb on other products is to keep for 6 months to a year. Chance are if I bought something and have not used it in 6 months, I am never going to use nor miss it.

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Donna Tarantino

Donna Tarantino, Vice President of Beauty and Style, Risdall Consumer Direct
With over 20 years experience in the television shopping industry, Donna brings proven experience to her role as vice president of beauty and style for Risdall Consumer Direct.
A dynamic national speaker and sought-after thought leader in beauty and style, Donna previously was ShopNBC’s Director of Beauty, Healthy & Fitness. Prior, she held leadership roles at QVC, Lord & Taylor, Prestige Fragrances & Cosmetics, and Macy’s.
She has also been part of conceiving, developing and transforming numerous beauty brands into household names, including Orly International, Amazing Cosmetics, Khuraira Cosmetics, Bare Escentuals, Smashbox Cosmetics, Philosophy, Too Faced Cosmetics, Skinn Cosmetics, Peter Coppola Haircare, Nick Chavez Haircare and Laura Geller Makeup Studio.
With a track record of building multi-million businesses, Donna has expertise in direct response sales, strategic branding, merchandising strategy, and product lifecycle management within the context of sophisticated on-air and off-network marketing communications.
With a focus on the worldwide television shopping industry, Donna has a knack to identifying brand-right products for the TV shopping space in categories of beauty, health, fashion, accessories, and jewelry as well as home solutions, housewares, and kitchen electrics.
Born with an entrepreneurial spirit and a keen eye for quality, Donna’s client successes reflect her philosophy that maximizing sales is not just about having the right product strategy, but also about bringing the brand to life and driving new customer acquisition.
Donna is a frequent contributor as a guest blogger, as well as the trade press including Beauty Packaging, Women’s Wear Daily, and Beauty Press.
View all posts by Donna Tarantino